The Terminal of Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, July 13, 2006. (AP)

Hezbollah's Media Relations office issued a statement in response to the "false accusations fabricated by Al-Hadath news channel," which said that party officials are using Beirut's Rafiq Hariri International Airport for "arms smuggling."

The statement also responded to Lebanese actors repeating these allegations.

In the statement, Hezbollah categorically refuted the accusations, and strongly condemned these "cheap fabrications" and the complicity of Lebanese internal actors, by "promoting these lies and turning them into judicial intelligence" against Hezbollah.

The party considered that the slander represents a grave insult to the Lebanese State and its security apparatus, which is located inside the airport.

Intentional noise

According to the statement, these allegations are aimed at holding Hezbollah responsible for any subsequent issues that could affect the airport, distorting the image of Lebanese security services, and increasing tensions at a time when the airport is experiencing heavy traffic.

The statement also affirmed that this "intentional noise" regarding the airport is consistent with the rhetoric of the Israeli Occupation government that has been making the argument that Hezbollah utilized the Beirut airport for "military purposes," with the aim of using these false allegations as a cover for any subsequent Israeli aggression that could target the airport and its related infrastructure.

The statement also stressed that the partnership between these "media outlets whose agendas are well-known" that report without any evidence, and with Lebanese actors that are known to be associated with foreign embassies and external intelligence agencies, "has become exposed to the Lebanese people."

Hezbollah stated that all the methods of deception used, whether under the guise of a television investigation or legal maneuvers, "will only beget losses for these institutions as well as their operators."

The statement concluded by noting that "all attempts to tarnish Hezbollah's image and that of the honorable Resistance will not affect our people's morale and free will to resist and confront the occupation."

A repeat of last year

Last year, in December, the Lebanese caretaker PM Najib Mikati responded to similar allegations and denied that Beirut Airport is being used for smuggling Iranian weapons, following Israeli media allegations.

During his meeting with a delegation from the Editors’ Syndicate Council at the Grand Serail, Mikati said, "I spoke with the army commander and the top security officials last week, and they all verified that the investigations showed what was alleged to be false and that no weapons were brought into the airport."

Mikati’s remarks came after “Israel” threatened to strike Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, according to Israeli media, under the pretext that it was used to transfer weapons, similar to the strikes it conducts on Damascus airport.